The present invention broadly relates to a retaining device or apparatus and, more specifically, pertains to a new and improved construction of a retaining device for holding a surgical instrument.
Generally speaking, the surgical retaining or holding device of the present invention comprises a holder block which is displaceably and selectively securable along and at a guide member, such as a guide rail. The holder block is provided with clamping elements for engagement with the guide rail. Furthermore, the retaining device is provided with a support rod for holding the surgical instrument or the like. This support rod is displaceable and positionally securable with respect to the holder block.
Wound hooks are a particular example of surgical instruments which, by means of the retaining device which expediently incorporates a number of articulatedly or hingedly coupled link members, are fixed or secured to a guide rail positioned along an operating table. It should be understood that instead of using wound hooks with such retaining devices other surgical instruments, such as speculars, wound spreaders, magnifying lenses, spatulas, holders for X-ray plates or X-ray cassettes and similar instruments that the surgeon deems necessary to perform the operation or his or her work may be mounted at the retaining device.
In the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,143,652, granted Mar. 13, 1979, there have been disclosed to the art such type of surgical retaining or holding devices for which there exists an increasing demand. They have been improved to such an extent that they are capable of arresting or positionally fixing larger wound hooks with adequate retention or holding force as, for instance, is necessary when performing more complicated surgical operations such as at the thorax and during abdominal surgery in order to positionally retain the edges of the surgical wound or incision with the requisite reliability.
In the course of development work these retaining or holding devices could be further improved such that the end of the articulated or link arm which carries the surgical instrument can now be positively or immovably held in position and is incapable of positionally shifting during the surgical operation.
A serious disadvantage or shortcoming of all of the heretofore known retaining or holding devices resides in the fact that these retaining devices comprise several mutually independent and different facilities or means, each serving for performing a specific function. One such facility or means may serve to displace and arrest the retaining device along the guide rail, whereas another may serve to adjust the elevational position of the surgical instrument by allowing for appropriate sliding of the support rod in the holder block and its retention thereat. Thus, the known retaining devices have a separate arrangement in order to clamp the holder block at the guide rail and which is accomplished with the aid of a tensioning or tightening lever, whereas a second clamping arrangement serves to fixedly clamp the support rod which is provided with the surgical instrument. A hand wheel serves to actuate the second clamping arrangement. This disadvantage is a considerable one, since during an operation it is usually required to move or displace the holder block along the guide rail as well as to re-position the elevational level or location of the wound hook. Additionally, the support rod of the known retaining devices can only be turned or rotated about its own lengthwise axis and can not be rotated and fixed with respect to an axis transverse thereto. Thus, the clamped portion of the support rod of the known retaining devices always extends perpendicular with respect to the guide rail located at the operating table.